The article is devoted to a comprehensive environmental assessment of the Rostov region, including the determination of anthropogenic load, an assessment of the level of environmental pollution, and the establishment of the degree of tension in the environmental situation. The research was based on the methods developed by B.I. Kochurov, A.D. Khavansky and others, V.E. Zakrutkin and others. Determination of the ecological state of cities and administrative districts, their ecological parameters, spatial analysis of the situation, identification of the features of regional ecological development was carried out by comparing dissimilar indicators expressed in different units of measurement using point estimates. The work used published data from official federal and regional sources. The results of a comprehensive environmental assessment of the Rostov region allow us to state the following. In cities with an industrial type of nature management, an increased and average anthropogenic load prevails. The maximum values ​​of anthropogenic load were established in the city of Rostov-on-Don, increased - in Novocherkassk and Taganrog, in other cities an average anthropogenic load was revealed. In Rostov-on-Don, Novocherkassk and Taganrog, a crisis ecological situation is established, in other cities a critical ecological situation prevails. In rural areas with an agrarian-industrial type of nature management, located near large and medium-sized cities, the maximum industrial load indicators for agricultural areas, average values ​​of the demographic and agricultural load have been established; a critical ecological situation has formed in these areas. Agrarian-industrial centers: Millerovsky, Salsky, as well as Zimovnikovsky and Oryol districts - are distinguished by an increased industrial and high agricultural load, in these districts a critical ecological situation prevails. Most of the agricultural regions are characterized by a high agricultural load and significant degradation of the soil cover, which led to the formation of a tense ecological situation in them.